Orbán is Putin's man in the EU, says Magyar. He promises to join the eurozone

Russian President Putin has an interest in keeping Viktor Orbán in power as his staunchest ally within the EU, according to Hungarian oppositionist Péter Magyar. Magyar, who leads the extra-parliamentary TISZA party, said this in an interview with the Financial Times.

He claims that if he becomes prime minister, Hungary will once again lean towards the West, join the eurozone and let the citizens decide on Ukraine's EU accession in a referendum.

He criticised the government's current course, which he said was contrary to Hungary's interests as a member of NATO and the EU. On energy, he stressed the need to reduce dependence on Russia within ten years, while not ruling out supplies from that country altogether.

TISZA's energy policy, he said, would be guided by security of supply, affordability and then geopolitics and sustainability.

(mja)